Hikvision Asks FCC to Reduce Ban Scope

Executive *******

*********'* ******* ** *** *********** * ********* ***** ******* ******* non-surveillance ******** **** ***** ******* *** dashboard ******* ** *** ** ****** an ********* ** ******** *** **** or *** ****. ********* ****** *** narrower *********** ** "***** ************ *********" and "****************** *********" ** ******* **** non-surveillance ********.

*** ****** **** *** ****** **** with *** ***'* ********, ******. *** FCC ** ********* ********* **** *********, generally, *** **** *** *******'* ******** video ************ ********. **** ****, *** FCC *** ****** "***** ************ *********," so *** ********** ** ********* ****.

*********'* ****** ****** ** **** ** a *******-**** ******** ** ******* ****** the ***'* ************. *** ********, *** company ** **** ******************* *** ******** ** *** *** order ** * ******* ********* *****, ******* **** *** ******** ****** not ** ** *** ***'* ******* list ******* **** *** *** “*********” to *** ********* ** ********* ******* and ****** ******* ********* ********.

**********

*** ********* ** ***** ** ******** *********** ****** ******* ************** *** ***** and *********, ***** *** *** ********** as ******** ******** *****.

***** *** ********* **** ***** ** find *********** *****. ********* * ******* ** ******** **** challenging *** ***** ** * ******* appellate *****. **** **** ***** ********** ***** (in***** ************* ****, ************) ** ******* *** ***'* national ******** ********.

***, ********* ** ********** ******* ***** the *****'* *********** ** "***** ************ equipment" *** "****************** *********." *** *** bans *** ************** ** ********* ******** that **** ***** **** **********.

FCC ***** ***********

****** ************ "***** ************ *********" **:

*** ********* **** ** **** ** fixed *** ****** ******** **** ******** advanced ************** ******* ** *** **** of * ***** ************ *******, ******** the ********* ******** ** **** ********** components.

** ******* "****************** *********" **:

*** ********* **** ** ***** ** mobile ******** **** ******** ******** ************** service, ******** *** ********* ******** ** uses ********** **********.

*** ********, **** *** ******* ******** that ********* ** ******** **** ** greater **** *** ** *** ******.

Hikvision: *********** *** *********, ******* ********** ********

********* **** **** *** *****'* "******** reaches *** ****** *** ******** *****" of *** ***********. ** *********** ****, Hikvision ***** ******* ******** **** ****** to **** ***** *** *********** *** which ********* ****** *** *** "***** surveillance" ** "******************" *********:

• Handheld ************ *******: These cameras capture thermal snapshots, and Hikvision says that they fall under the FCC definitions of both "video surveillance" and "telecommunications" equipment. But Hikvision says the cameras are not designed for fixed area surveillance and do not threaten "the processing or routing of information across internet networks."
• Dashboard *******: These devices record roads and likely fall under both FCC definitions. Hikvision argues that they are not designed to surveil premises and do not threaten networks.
• Robot ****** & ***: These cleaning devices' navigation cameras may qualify them under both FCC definitions. Hikvision says the products are not intended for surveillance and cannot threaten networks.
• Warehouse ******: Hikvision says these devices fall under the FCC definition of "telecommunications equipment" but that they are exclusively used for warehouse logistics and are unlikely to have internet-based remote purposes.
• ********: ***** ******** ****** ******* ** "telecommunications *********" ***** *** *** *****, but ********* **** ****** ******** *** is ********.
• Data ****** & ******* *******: Hikvision claims these devices fall under the FCC definition of "telecommunications equipment," but says they do not directly connect to the internet.

Hikvision ******** ******* ***********

********* ****** **** *** *** ****** adopt ******* *********** ** "***** ************" and "******************" ********* **** *** **** consistent **** ******-***** **************.

********* ******** *** ********* ********** *** video ************ *********:

******* **** *** ******** ******** *** used *** ************—**** ** ***** ******* designed *** **** *** ******** *** surveillance ********— *** *** ****** *** device **** *** * ******, *** take *********** ** ******* ******, ** record * ***** ****** ****** ** intended *** **** *** ****** ************.

*** *** ********* *** ****************** *********:

******* **** *** ******** ** ******* directly ** *** ******** *** *********—*** not *** ****** **** *** * port ** ***** ******* ** *** internet *** **** *** **** ** be ********* *** ****** ********* ** for ***** ********-***** ****** ***** ** highly ********, ** ******* **** *** connected ** * ******** *** *** directly ** *** ********.

Filing ******** ********* ********* *****

*********'*** ***** **** ******** ***** *** NDAA ***, *** *** *** ***** ***** cripple ****** **********. *** *** *** filing ******** **** ********* ** ******* ways ** ******* ***** ** ****** inroads ** ***, *********** ******, ******* areas.

** ********* *** ******** *** *** to ***** *** *********** ** "***** surveillance *********" *** "****************** *********," *** company ***** ***** *** ***** ** selling ***-************ ******** ** *** ** while ******* **** *********** ********* ** other ******* (******* *** *** ***** *******). **** ********* ***** ***** **** Hikvision ***** *** * ***** ** a ** ****** **** ** ******** increasingly *********** *** *** ****.

Hikvision ************* *** ********** *** ********

*** **** ** *********'* ******** ** that *** ***********' "******** ******* *** beyond ***[**] ******** *****." *** ****'* a *********** *****************. ****** ******* ***** **** *** *********** *********************, ****** **** **** ************* "***** within *** ***** ** *** *********** a **** ***** ** ************** ********* that *** **** ****** ********* ********."

******, *********'* ****** ************** *** ***'* fundamental *******. *** ***'* ******* ** with *********, *********, *** **** ******** Hikvision ********. ****** ************ ********* "***** ** ************ **** to ******** ********" *** ***** ** minimize *** *******'* ******** ** *** US. *** ****** ***'* ****** ** carve *** ******* ******** **** ******* they ***'* ******** *** ********-********** *********** of ***** ************ *** ****************** *********.

Hikvision ********* ** ********* *** ***** ** ********* *****

*********, *** **** ******* *** ********* is *** *** *** ***** ** be ********** ** *** ********.

** **** ***,********* (***** **** *** **-**********, *****) is ********** *** *** ***** ** a ******* ********* *****. ********* ** ******* **** *** products ****** *** ** ** *** FCC's ******* **** *******, ***** ***** issues, **** (*) *** *** “*********” to *** ********* ** ********* ******* and (*) ****** ******* ********* ********.

*****, ********* **** **** ***** *** devices *** ******** **************, **** *** not *********, *************, ** ****** *** the “********* ** ******** ************** *******.” If *** ***** ****** **** *********, that ***** **** *** *******'* ******** ineligible *** *** ******* **** ***** the ****** *** ******* ************** ******* Act ** ****, ***** ******* “************** equipment ** ********” **:

*** ********* ** ******* **** ************* *** ********* ** ******** ************** service.[******** *****]

****** ********* **** ************ ****** **** ***** ********* ******* and ********* *** *** "********* ** the ************ ** ******** ******** *********** packets **** *** ******** ********," **** are "*********" *** ************ ***** *********** over *** ******** ** **** ** surveillance.

******, ********* ****** **** ********* *** be ****** ** *** ******* **** only ** ** *** *** ******* to ******* ********* ********. **** ******** is *** ************ ******. ***** ** U.S.C. § ****(*)(*)(*) **** **** **** “covered ************* ********* ** ********” ******** equipment ** ******** **** *** ******* of “******* *** ******* ** * provider ** ******** ************** ******* ** be ********* ********," **** ** *** the **** ********* **** ********* ********* for *** ******* ****. ********* **** qualifies ** ** “********* ****[*] ** unacceptable **** ** *** ******** ******** of *** ****** ******,” ***** *** FCC *** ************ ****** ** **** for ********* ********.